Warning signaling system



1, 1943. T. J. SCOFIELD 2,328,172

WARNING SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed June 6, 1940 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 31, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WARNING SIGNALING SYSTEM Mich a.

corporation of Ohio Application June 6, 1940, Serial No. 339,091

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in warning signaling systems for automobiles or other motor driven vehicles and pertains more particularly to an audible signal system comprising a group of signal producing units or horns and to means for controlling the operation of these units whereby variations in the character of the signals produced may be obtained.

The primary object of the invention is to produce an audible signaling system for motor driven vehicles of such a character that a number of separate tones which blend or harmonize with each other may be produced in predetermined order or sequence whereby a number of different musical tones or tunes may be obtained, depending at least to a degree upon the skill of the operator.

Another object of the invention is to produce a signaling system embodying a group of audiible signal producing units having means whereby any selected one of a plurality of difierent and distinct tune arrangements may be obtained.

A further object is to provide means whereby any one of a number of tune arrangements may be quickly and easily selected at the option of the operator.

A still further object is to provide a signal system with means whereby after a series of tones have been produced, the same may be reproduced but in reverse order.

More specifically, the invention contemplates the provision of a group of horns tuned to harmonize with each other and a conveniently located control mechanism of such a character 5 that the horns may be either operated substantially simultaneously or in predetermined sequence and that the time period of operation of each horn may be controlled independently of that of the remaining horns.

Other objects pertaining to the construction of the signaling system and to the form and.

relation of the parts thereof will appear from the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure ,l is a side elevation of a control box embodied in my novel signaling system with the indicated as being secured to the steering column of a motor driven vehicle.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the control box as viewed from the plane of line 22, Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view through the control box taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3, Figure 2. The control box is shown connected by an electric circuit with a group of 5 ill) signaling units, said signaling units and the circuit being illustrated more or less diagrammatically.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially in the plane of the line 44, Figure 3.

The signaling system of this invention and as illustrated more particularly in Figure 3, comprises a plurality of, in this instance three, audible signal units 8, S and S" which, as indicated, may be of the vibratory magnetic motor driven type. It will be obvious, however, that other types or numbers of signaling units may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention and, therefore, I do not wish to be limited to this type or arrangement of the signaling units indicated.

The electric circuit for operating the signaling units S, S and S comprises a source of potential, such as a battery B, which has its negative pole connected with the motors (not shown) of the signals or horns S, S and S" by ground G and wires 8, 8' and 8". The positive side of the battery 13 is operatively connected with the motorsof the signals S, S and S by wires 9, 9 and 9", relay switches it}, ill and I0", wires H, H and H", and a feed wire l2 leading from the wires H, H and II to the battery B. The relay switches l0, l8 and H)" are normally open and are adapted to be closed when the coils I3, 13' and I3" thereof are energized. The coils I3, [3' and 13" are each connected at one end to the wires H, H and II" by wires l4, l4 and I4, respectively. The coils of the relays are connected at their other ends to control switches l5, l5 and I5" by wires I6, l6 and I6", respectively, as shown in Figure 3.

A control box H which comprises a case I8 adapted to contain the switches l5, l5? and I5" may be secured to a. steering column C by a clamp l9 and bolts 28, as indicated in Figures 1, 2 and 4. The switches l5, l5 and I5" are constructed substantially alike and each comprises a spring contact arm 22 and a contact wheel or disk 23. Each contact arm 22 is secured at one end to the case [8 in insulated spaced relation thereto by a rivet 24 or its equivalent, and spacing washers 25 and a sleeve 25 composed of fibre or other suitable insulating material as shown in Figure 4. The wires l6, Hi and It" may be connected in any suitable manner to the contact arms 22 as by terminal brackets 28. The contact wheels 23 are secured to a sleeve 30 in spaced relation to each other longitudinally of the sleeve. The sleeve 30 is secured to a control shaft 3| mounted in the case |8 in the plane of the upper or free ends of the contact arms 22 for rotary and axial movement. The contact wheels 23 are adapted to intermittently engage the upper or free ends of the arms 22 to make electrical connection therebetween and, for this purpose, are each provided with a plurality of contact lobes 33 pro'ecting from the peripheral surface thereof for contacting a laterally disposed tip 34 provided on the upper end of each of the arms 22.

The shaft 3| has one end thereof extended outwardly beyond the case l8 and is provided with a knob 36 by which the shaft may be manipulated. The shaft 3| is yieldingly maintained in such position that the contact wheels 23 will operatively align with their respective contact arms 22. A collar 31 is rotatably mounted on the shaft adjacent the knob 36 between the corresponding side of the case l8 and the contact wheel 23 adjacent thereto. A spring 38 is mounted at the opposite end of the shaft 3| between the case l8 and the contact wheel 23 adjacent thereto and normally urges the shaft and contact wheels toward the collar 31.

The collar 31 is provided with a cylindrical boss 49 which extends outwardly beyond the adjacent side of the case |8 and has secured thereto lever 4| whereby the collar may be rotated. The lever 4| is provided with a laterally disposed stop lug 42 which extends into an arcuate slot 43 provided in the case l8 for limiting the swinging movement of the lever 4| and, therefore, the rotary movement of the collar 31. the slot 43 is such that the lever and collar may be moved through an arc of somewhat less than 90 so that the contact wheels may be rotated substantially one quarter turn by the lever 4|.

The contact wheels 23 are operatively connected to the collar 31 by a pin 45 secured to said collar. The pin 45 extends inwardly from the collar 31 through one of a plurality of, in this instance four, apertures 46 provided in the contact wheel adjacent the collar, said apertures being arranged about the axis of the wheel in substantially equal circumferential spaced relation to each other. A spring 48 secured at one end to the case I8 and at its other end to the pin 45 yieldingly urges the collar and contact wheels about the axis of the shaft 3| to an initial position which is determined by the engagement of the stop lug 42 with one end of the slot 43. The collar 31 is provided with a recess 49 in the periphery thereof which receives therein the adjacent end portion of the spring 48, as illustrated in Figure 3.

The lobes 33 on the wheels 23 are so arranged with respect to the tips 34 of the corresponding arms 22 that when the wheels are maintained in their initial position by the coaction of the spring 48, the lug 42 and slot 43, each tip 34 will align with the space between two adjacent lobes out of contact with the lobes and with the wheel.

As hereinbeiore stated, the contact arms 22 of the switches v|-Ei i5 and I5" are connected with the battery B by means connected with wires l6, l6 and it". Any suitable means may be provided for operatively connecting the contact wheels 23 of these switches with the battery B, as by grounding the case l8, inasmuch as the wheels are electrically connected with the case through the medium of the sleeve 30 and shaft 3|. In order that the contact arms may be moved individually into contact with correspcnd The length of ing contact wheels for closing the circuit through the corresponding switch member, I have pro vided each contact arm with a push button 50 preferably composed of fibre or other insulating material. Each of these push buttons is mounted in a suitable aperture 5| provided in the case l8 intermediate the pin 24 and tip 34 of the corresponding arm, as indicated in Figures 1 and 4. These push buttons are maintained in their respective apertures 5| by the coaction of the corresponding contact arm 22 and a head or flange provided at the inner end of each push button.

It will now be observed that when the upper end 34 of a contact arm 22 is moved inwardly into contact with the corresponding contact wheel 23 by pressure applied to the corresponding push button 50, the circuit from the battery B through the coil of the corresponding relay switch will be closed and thereby cause the corresponding signal S, S or S" to operate. The signals S, S and 8' may be caused to operate singly, in predetermined sequence or simultaneously by proper manipulation of one or more of the push buttons 50.

When a signal is caused to operate by means of a push button 50, the contact wheels 23 will, of course, remain stationary while the corresponding arm 22 is moved inwardly to bring the tip 34 into contact with the respective wheel. On the other hand, when lever 4| is actuated to effect operation of the signals, arms 22 remain substantially stationary and wheels 23 are rotated to bring the lobes 33 into successive ongagement with the corresponding tips 34.

As hereinbeiore stated, the contact lobes 33 on each wheel 23 may vary in circumferential length with respect to each other and also with respect to the circumferential length of the lobes of the remaining wheels. Furthermore, the lobes of a wheel may be spaced different distances apart. This variation in the circumferential lengths and spacings of the lobes causes a corresponding variation in the time of contact of the lobes of a contact wheel with the tip 34 of the corresponding contact arm during the rotation of the contact wheels produced through the medium of the lever 4|. This variation in the engagement of successive lobes 33 with the tips 34 produces a corresponding variation in the closing of the circuits through the switches l5, |5 and I5" which, in turn, correspondingly affects the operation of the signals S, S and S". Furthermore, inasmuch as the contact wheels are rotated only a quarter of a revolution by swinging the lever 4|, the operation of the signaling units and the effect or tune produced may be different for each quarter position of the contact wheels with respect to the collar 31. This effect is obtained by varying the arrangement of the lobes in the different quarter sections of the wheels. Any one of four different tunes may thus be obtained in the structure shown, depending upon the aperture 46 engaged by the pin 45.

When it is desired to shift the wheels 23 with respect to the arms 22 to obtain a change in the signal or tune produced, this may be readily accomplished by applying sufficient pressure to knob 36 to move the wheels inwardly against the action of spring 38 until the wheel 23 adjacent the pin 45 moves beyond the inner end of said pin. The knob- 36 is then rotated until the desired aperture 46 is aligned with the pin 45 when the knob 36 is allowed to move outward, thus engaging the wheels 23 in the new quarter position. In order that the operator may readily determine the position of the quarter sections of the contact wheels with respect to the contact arms 22, the outer end face of the knob 36 may be marked by suitable indicia such asthe letters A, B, C and D spaced substantially 90 from each other.

When using the lever 4| to control the operation of the signaling units, it will be observed that the operation of these units will not only be controlled by the particular arrangement of the contact lobes 33 with respect, to each other, but also by the speed at which the lever 4| is moved about the axis of shaft 3 I. Furthermore, the signals which are operated when the lever 4| is moved from its normal initial position with the lug 42 at one end of the slot 43 to the limit of its forward movement with the lug 42 at the other end of the slot 43 may be sounded in reverse by manually limiting the speed at which the lever is returned to its initial position by the action of the spring 48. If, on the other hand, it is not desired to play the signals in reverse order after having moved the lever to the limit of its forward stroke, the operator merely releases said lever, whereupon the lever and contact wheels are returned to their initial position by the action of spring 48 too quickly to permit the signals to operate.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious that various changes may be made in the form and relation of the parts thereof, such as in the type of the signals used, the construction of electromagnetic switches and in the manner of operating the contact wheels 23. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown but what I claim is:

l. A switch mechanism of the character described comprising, in combination, a frame, a plurality of contact wheels rotatably mounted in said frame, each of said contact wheels having an equal number of groups of contact lobes disposed about its periphery, the respective lobe roups of the respective contact wheels occupying like included angles, means for preselecting a series of said lobe groups consisting of one group from each wheel and for angularly positioning the same in axial alignment with one another at a predetermined initial operating station, mean for rotating said contact wheels in unison from said initial station through an angle corresponding to the included angle of the selected lobe series, and a plurality of contact elements, one for each contact wheel, secured to said frame and so constructed and arranged as to close an electric circuit when engaged by one of said lobes during said rotation of the contact wheels.

2. A switch mechanism of the character described comprising, in combination, a frame, a plurality of contact wheels rotatably mounted in said frame, each of said contact wheeis having an equal number of groups of contact lobes disposed about its periphery, the respective lobe groups of the respective contact wheels occupying like included angles, manually operated means for preselecting a series of said lobe groups consisting of one group from each wheel and for angularly positioning the same in axial alignment with one another at a predetermined initial operating station, manually operated means for rotating said contact wheels in unison from said initial station through an angle corresponding to the included angle of the selected lobe series, spring means for automatically returning said contact wheels to said initial station by rotation in the reverse direction when said manually operated rotating means is released by the operator, and a plurality of contact elements, one for each contact wheel, secured to said frame and so constructed and arranged as to close an electric circuit when engaged by one of said lobes during said rotation of the contact wheels.

3. A switch mechanism of the character described comprising, in combination, a frame, a plurality of contact wheels rotatably mounted in said frame, each of said contact wheels hav ing an equal number of groups of contact lobes disposed about its periphery, the respective lcbe groups of the respective contact wheels occupying like included angles, means for preselecting a series of said lobe groups consisting of one group from each wheel and for angularly positioning the same in axial alignment with one another at a predetermined initial operating station, means lor rotating said contact wheels in unison from said initial station through an angle corresponding to the included angle of the selected lobe series, a plurality of contact elements, one for each contact wheel, secured to said frame and so constructed and arranged as to close an electric circuit when engaged by one of said lobes during said rotation of the contact wheels, and push button means associated with each of said contact elements for manually closing the associated electric circuit independently of said rotation of the contact wheels.

A switch mechanism of the character dcscribed comprising, in combination, a frame, a plurality of contact wheels rotatably mounted in said frame, each of said contact wheels having an equal number of groups of contact lobes disposed about its periphery, the respective lobe groups of the respective contact wheels occupying like included angles, manually operated means for preselecting a series of said lobe groups consisting of one grou from each wheel and for angularly positioning the same in axial alignment with one another at a predetermined initial operating station, manually operated means for rotating said contact wheels in unison from said initial station through an angle corresponding to the included angle of the selected lobe series, spring means for automatically returning said contact wheels to said initial station by rotation in the reverse direction when said manually operated rotating means is released by the open ator, a plurality of contact elements, one for each contact wheel, secured to said frame and so constructed and arranged as to close an electric circuit when engaged by one oi said lobes during said rotation of the contact wheels, and push button means associated with each of said contact elements for manually closing the associated electric circuit independently or said rotation of the contact wheels.

5. A switch mechanism of the character described comprising, in combination, a frame, a plurality of contact wheels rotatably mounted in said frame and connected together to rotate in unison, each of said contact wheels having an equal number of groups of contact lobes disposed about its periphery, the respective lobe groups of the respective contact wheels occupying like included angles and being arranged in alignment to form a number of series of lobe groups consisting of one group from each wheel, manually operated means for preselecting one of said series of lobe groups by position ing the same at a predetermined initial operating station, manually operated means for rotating said contact wheels from said initial tion through an angle corresponding to the inconstructed and arranged as to displace said contact Wheels axially out of reach of said spring contacts during the selecting operation, and push button means associated with each of said spring contacts for manually pressing the same into engagement with the associated contact wheel and closing the electric circuit therethrough independently of said rotation of the contact wheels, V

THEODORE J. SCOFIELD. 

